The Love Of A Child
by Alexz Recoro
Summary: The love of Shayera’s children has helped her find her redemption, and dulled the pain in her heart. But when her children are brutally taken from her, she is forced to ask her former teammates for help. Teammates that include their father.
1. A Child's Love

Title: The Love Of A Child

Author: Alexz Recoro

Summary: The love of Shayera's children has helped her find her redemption, and dulled the pain in her heart. But when her children are brutally taken from her, she is forced to ask her former teammates for help. Teammates that include their father, who doesn't even know they exist.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I do own the twins Hayden John and Haylynn Lee

Feedback: Please read and review. NO FLAMES!  
  
CHAPTER ONE

Wonder Woman choose a small park to set down in. She needed to take a rest. The baby inside of her was currently sparring with her internal organs and distracting her from her flying. But as soon as she recognized the city in which she had landed, her face twisted in disgust and she attempted to take to the sky again. But her stomach rebelled at the thought, and her baby seconded the decision. Grudgingly, Diana sat on a secluded bench. It had been four years. Four years since Shayera Hol's betrayal, four years since Shayera had resigned from the Justice League, four years since Diana had watched her leave with tears in her eyes as well as John's.

Four years and the only thing they knew about Shayera was that she had adopted a city to secretly watch over, this city in fact. Midway City. The rest of the League had taken on an 'out of sight, out of mind' policy. Superman had finally told Lois the truth, and after a few tense month's the two had wed. They had a two year old daughter, Andrea Kent. Flash had fallen for a childhood friend a few months ago, Piper Nix, and the two were planning their wedding. J'onn was the same. And Diana had finally found a way into Batman's, and Bruce Wayne's, heart, and was carrying their second child. Their first was a quiet three year old terror named Thomas Wayne. And John...

Diana sighed at the thought of John. He had changed. He was silent and withdrawn now. He would have nothing to do with the League. He was still an active member, and he was as dedicated as ever to his duties. But he shunned all personal contact of attempts at conversation and had never returned to his room in the new Watchtower, preferring his dark and silent New York apartment. Shayera hadn't been the only one with a broken heart that day.

Diana was jerked out of her thoughts by an all to familiar voice. "Hayden! Haylynn! I'm back!" Shayera's familiar voice carried across the park. Two dark haired children broke away from the jungle gym and raced to the beautiful red head that Diana would know anywhere. Shayera Hol knelt down on the grass, arms outstretched, welcoming the two children with a huge hug, lifting them off the ground as they laughed and kissed her smiling face, calling "Mama, Mama!" But Diana almost didn't believe her eyes because the Shayera Hol before her had no wings. None.

"Please, can we stay just a little bit longer?" Hayden begged his mother. Shayera smiled at her son as she set him on the ground, brushing a lock of his jet black hair out of his bright green eyes. "What do you think Ms. Haylynn Lee? Should we give Mr. Hayden John some more time so that Mommy can talk to Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick?" Shayera said, smiling and waving at Sara and Nick King who were seated on a bench a short distance away.

"Yeah." Haylynn agreed with her twin. "Let's stay."

"Okay you two." Shayera grinned. "But only about half an hour, okay? We wanna get to the ice cream shop before it closes, don't we?"

"Yes Mama." The twins chorused before Hayden gently pushed Haylynn and she chased him back to the jungle gym. Shayera was about to join Sara and Nick when she felt eyes watching her. Scanning with her eyes, she almost fell over when she saw Diana of all people sitting on a bench, staring at her. Quickly signing to Sara that she'd be over in a minute, Shayera made her way over to the woman she hadn't seen in four years.

"Hi." She said.

"Hello." Diana replied coldly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Had to take a small break." Diana motioned to her swollen stomach.

"I wondered about the costume change. And I did see that you and Bats had hooked up. Congratulations."

"Thank you." There was an awkward silence, then Diana motioned to the bench. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Thanks." Shayera sat, and there was another brief silence.  
"You have beautiful children."

"Thank you." Shayera said with a smile. "I saw a picture of your son Thomas. He's adorable."

"Thank you. Your two, how old are they?"

"Their both four."

"Twins?"

"Yes."

"Are they..."

"John's? Yes. I still love him, I could never be with anyone else." Shayera said, smiling as she watched Haylynn help a younger boy to his feet after he had fallen.

"Does he know?"

"No."

"What?" Diana was shocked. "Shayera, you can't keep this from him. I'll have to tell him." "No!" Shayera burst out, and Diana was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Diana, please, you can't tell him."

"He has to know."

"No! Please, I've never asked any of you for anything these past five years. Please. I know he hates me, but I couldn't bear it if he hated his children. And he can't hate them if he doesn't know about them. Please, Diana, please. I'm begging you. Don't tell him. Please."

"All right. I won't tell him."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

Shayera breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Diana." She checked her watch. "I better go pry the twins off the swings. I promised them ice cream, and I have to patrol later."

"Shayera where are..."

"My wings?" Shayera smiled and showed Diana the thin silver band around her wrist. It looked like an ID bracelet, with Shayera Hol written on it in a flowing script. "This is a matter displacer. It transports my wings into a small alternate dimension. They come back when I turn it off. Hayden and Haylynn have them too. A friend designed and perfected them."

"Shayera! Are you coming?!" A voice yelled. Diana looked up and saw a tall, good looking young man standing next to a beautiful woman, both of them waving.

"Coming Nick!" Shayera yelled. She looked at Diana, pleading with her eyes. "Remember your promise Diana. You can't tell him. If he hated them. . . I'd never forgive myself." Shayera whispered the last part, and turned to go, hurrying away so that Diana wouldn't see her tears. But she did anyway.  
"Shy. . ."

"I have to go Diana. Good bye." Shayera whispered, her voice filled with sadness. Diana watched, her heart breaking as Shayera made her way over to the young man and woman. The young man took one look at Shayera's face and enfolded her in a hug, the young woman joining in. The two kids looked up and the same time and made a beeline for their mother, joining the group hug. With one last look at the former Justice Leaguer, being comforted by her new family, Diana took to the skies. Trying desperately to ignore the pain that was making a painful ball in her stomach. The pain of loss. Shayera was lost to her. Shayera had new friends, a new family, one who didn't care about her past. She didn't need her or any of the Justice League anymore. And that knowledge made the tears stream down Diana's face.


	2. A Mother's Nightmare

CHAPTER TWO

"Are you sure you have to go out tonight Mama?" Hayden whined, squirming as Shayera struggled to wrap a towel around his wet little body, wings and all.

"Yes Hayden. Mama has to help keep the city safe, you know that."

"I wanna go with you. I wanna help people too. I'm going to be a Marine! I need practice!" Hayden insisted, stopping long enough for Shayera to wrap the towel around him and scoop him into her arms.

"I know you do." Shayera assured her son. "And you will. One day."

"Why not today?" Hayden demanded, crossing his arms, his lower lip sticking out as his mother carried him into the large room he shared with his sister. Sara and Nick were so good to put them up in their mansion, and to give the twins such a large room, so large they could each have their own set of bunk beds, something that the twins loved.

"Yeah Mama." Haylynn chimed in as her mother and brother entered the room. "Why can't we help today?"

"Because you two need your sleep. If you went out and fell asleep, who would patrol?" Shayera asked her children. She always avoided telling her children that they were too young or too small to do something. They were both so headstrong that if she told them that they would immediately set out to do it just to prove her wrong. As she talked to them, she began dressing Hayden for bed, putting his pj's on him, then sitting on Haylynn's bottom bunk with him in her lap as she carefully combed his unruly hair.

"Your right Mama." Hayden said, giving her a quick hug before sliding off her lap and padding over to his closet where he pulled out an old wooden guitar that was very familiar to Shayera.

It was John's.

She had found it in the remains of the old Watchtower, miraculously unharmed and intact. She had always meant to send it back to John anonymously, but it had been comforting to her when she was pregnant and couldn't sleep to simply curl up on her bed with the guitar next to her and imagine that John was with her, laying with her, strumming the guitar slowly and deliberately with a kind of detached curiosity, humming or even singing along.

Hayden had found one day when he was only three and immediately started picking at it with a kind of instinct. It was much to big for him, and Hayden wasn't very good at it, but both he and Haylynn were slowly teaching themselves how to play it, learning how it sounded and how it was supposed to sound. He sat on his own bottom bunk, and Haylynn left hers to join her twin. They sat side by side, their dark head bent over the guitar, their green eyes narrowed in concentration as they both began picking at the strings in perfect harmony, allowing a small melody to emerge. Shayera smiled at them, sitting on Haylynn's bed, studying their faces.

Hayden and Haylynn were almost identical to John, except their skin was lighter, seeming only to be lightly tanned. Her children had her eyes, her wings and some of her mannerisms, but every once in a while, she would look up suddenly at Hayden, and he would have his head tilted in such a way, or be laughing at something, or even grinning at his sister and Shayera would see John and her heart would ache. Then Haylynn would look up and wrinkle her nose in a familiar way, or even throw a punch in a way that made Shayera think her heart would stop from the pain of missing him.

Her bracelet beeped and Shayera looked down at the hidden display. Time for her to set out. She couldn't bear to break her children's concentration, so she simply stood up, crossed to them, and kissed the top of their heads.

"Go to sleep soon." She told them. Hayden and Haylynn both tilted their heads back to receive another kiss and smiled at their mother.

"Okay Mama." They chorused before turning back to the guitar.

"I'm serious guys. I'm going to have Aunt Sara come tuck you in."

"Good night Mama." They both said again with their mischievous grins.

"Good night guys. I love you."

"Love you Mama." Shayera left the room, closing the door behind her and making her way down to the first floor from the third where the twin's bedroom was. Nick and Sara were lying together on a couch in the living room watching the news on the big screen TV. Shayera deactivated her bracelet before entering the room, flexing and stretching her wings as she walked. Nick had really outdone himself when he invented the bracelet. It not only made her wings disappear, but functioned as a watch, alarm, communicator, and was such a beautiful and uncomplicated piece of jewelry that she could wear it everywhere.

"Hello Shayera." Nick said as she entered the room. Nick was tall and muscular, a former Olympic swimmer with blonde hair and big grey eyes. He was also the only child of a multi-millionaire, and a genius. Nick was one of the richest men in the world, equal even to Bruce Wayne. His wife Sara, a small lithe beautiful woman with sleek black hair and beautiful hazel eyes, came from a middle class family in California, but they had meet at the Olympics, where Sara was a member of the US gymnastics team and they had clicked from the first time they meet, at the opening ceremonies when they had happened to find themselves standing next to each other when the US marched into the stadium. By the end of the Olympic's, they were timing their events in such a way that they could watch each other compete and cheer each other on. The two were married in less then a year.

They had found Shayera collapsed on their roof, pregnant, injured and dangerously ill. Of course they recognized her from the news, but they took a chance. Nick and Sara had taken Shayera in and nursed her, hiding her from the public eye and opened their hearts and home to her. Shayera had offered to move out when the twins were born, but Sara and Nick would have none of it. They adored the twins, and spoiled them mercilessly. And the twins were just as adoring of their 'aunt' and 'uncle'. Nick had invented the special matter displacement bracelets within months of the twins births, and Shayera couldn't thank him enough for allowing her and her children the chance to experience Earth without being labeled as 'different'.

"Hey guys. I'm heading out now. Sara, could you tuck the twin in in about half and hour? Their messing with the guitar right now and I didn't want to disturb them."

"Sure Shy." Sara said, standing up and stretching.

"Seems to be a slow night." Nick offered, also standing up from the couch.

"I hope so. I don't want to be out to late tonight." Shayera said with a smile as she accepted the hug and the kiss on the cheek that he offered, and the hug from Sara. Then she crossed the room and entered the huge library, where there were huge floor to ceiling bookcase covering every wall. Unlike some mansion's where the libraries were simply for show, like Bruce Wayne's, this one was filled with Sara's mystery, romance and fantasy books, along with numerous electronic manuals and textbooks, along with various history, biology, chemistry, zoology, astronomy and other books on a variety of topics. There were even a bunch of Shayera's spy thrillers, and some of Sara's Japanese manga books, and numerous books of fairy tales and nursery rhymes for Hayden and Haylynn.

The far book case also concealed the hidden room that housed Shayera's numerous computers that she used to monitor the city, the various machines that Nick had designed to conduct her investigations and analyze evidence, and the most important things to her. The mask she had worn as a member of the Justice League and her mace. And under a glass case was something that was the most important thing in the world to Shayera.

It was the band of John's ring, salvaged from the wreckage of the battle as they left, stuffed into her pocket and carried close to her heart the entire time she had waited for the League to vote, and even when she had finally told John that she loved him, and flown away with his silence ringing in her ears, a thousand times more hurtful than anything he could have said. The signal of the lantern corps was around her neck where it had been every since that day, on a tough silver chain that she never took off. Hayden and Haylynn had got glimpses of it occasionally, but had never asked about it, sensing that it was something they shouldn't mention.

Shayera lifted her mask from it's stand and placed it over her head, pulling her long red hair into a ponytail so that it wouldn't be in her way. She had just attached the mace to her belt, it's weight familiar and comfortable when she heard Haylynn scream. The scream was high pitched and terrified and cut off suddenly. Then Sara also screamed and Nick let out a grunt of pain.

Hawkgirl flew from the room, the bookcase sliding back into place behind her and latching. She entered the living room and was instantly dealt a blow that knocked her into a wall where she slid to the floor, her vision black, her breath coming painfully and the screams and cries of her children echoing in her ears. . .


	3. A WHAT?

CHAPTER THREE

Diana slid into the large bed she shared with her husband, exhausted.

"How is he?" Bruce whispered sleepily, sliding over and wrapping one muscular arm around Diana's waist.

"His fever finally broke." Diana whispered, snuggling back into Bruce's chest.

"Hmm." Bruce murmured, his lips touching her ear. Thomas has been sick for the last week, but if his fever had broken then he was on his way to recovery. Diana was relived. Thomas's sickness had her worried sick. She turned around and buried her face in Bruce's chest, smiling as he stroked her stomach, making her giggle slightly at the tickling sensation it produced. There was a movement and Bruce's bright blue eyes shot wide open.

"She kicked." He whispered, a huge grin spreading over his face.

"'She'? What makes you think it's a girl?" Diana teased.

"Fatherly instinct." Bruce said with a grin. Diana laughed and kissed him.

They were laying in silence for a moment, then Diana spoke again. "Bruce?"

"Yeah?" He whispered sleepily. Diana felt bad about keeping him from his sleep. He had had a hard patrol, the huge bruises on his chest and left arm evidence of that, but she had to tell him. So she took a deep breath.

"I say Shayera today." She told him.

"Really." The tone of the voice was disinterested, but Diana felt the muscles in his arm stiffen and tighten almost painfully around her waist.

"Yes." She paused again, unsure of how to continue.

"What's wrong Diana?" Bruce's voice was now concerned at his lovers silence, his touch soft and gentle.

"She had children with her." Diana whispered.

"So?"

"Really Bruce!" Diana exclaimed, sitting up and pushing away from him. "And you call yourself the world's greatest detective!"

"They were her children?" Bruce asked, also sitting up but snapping on his bedside lamp so that he could clearly see his wife's face and expression. Diana nodded.

"Yes, they were hers. Two, twins, a boy and a girl." She paused again before continuing. "Bruce, their four years old."

"Their Johns." It wasn't a question, her husband's voice was detached and analytical, like it always was when he was thinking out loud.

"Yes." Diana confirmed.

"And he doesn't know. Did she say why?"

"Oh Bruce." Diana felt the tears falling down her face again, and her husband instantly took her into his arms, stroking her hair and rocking her gently.

"Bruce, it's horrible. She thinks he hates her. She's afraid that if he knew about the twins that he would hate them." Although she was upset, Diana made sure to keep her voice down. It would do no good to wake up Thomas. Or John.

The Green Lantern and former Marine was currently sleeping in their guest bedroom after reluctantly going on patrol with Batman and becoming injured. He had broken Batman's fall from a building and had earned bruised ribs and a sprained shoulder in the process. Diana had to literally tie him up so she could tape his injuries, and the bullied him into the guest room and demanded that he stay or she would track him down and drag him back, because even at five months pregnant she could still take him, ring or no ring. John had gone to bed, after throwing pleading looks at Bruce, who simply grinned and shook his head.

Bruce kissed the top of Diana's head and held her tighter, comforting her. "John would never do that."

"I know that and you know that, but Shayera is really gun shy right now, every since we turned on backs on her. Ever since I turned my back on her." Diana's whisper was heartbreakingly sad, and the only thing Bruce could do was hold her tighter and try to comfort her with his love. Diana closed her eyes and relaxed back against him, taking comfort in his warmth and strength. And it worked for a while.

Until both jumped at the sound of someone pounding on the front door of the mansion.

Diana and Bruce both jumped out of bed and rushed to the front door, beating Alfred by just minutes. Neither could explain how they knew that something was wrong, but they both had known. Diana reached the door first and yanked it open, only to have Shayera, in her Hawkgirl mask and costume, fall into her arms.

"Shayera! Oh Hera, Bruce! It's Shayera!" Diana yelled, gently lowering Shayera onto the ground, resting the heroine's head in her lap and removing her mask.

While Bruce rushed to contact J'onn and get the first aid kit, Diana examined the winged female laying unconscious in her lap. Shayera looked horrible. One of her eyes was swollen shut, and so was her nose, the dried blood under it covering Shayera's chin. A horrible gash on her left arm was still leaking blood, while blood continued to stream from a cut on her calf and a gash on her forehead. Her right hand was twisted at a horrible angle and Diana knew without J'onn that her wrist was broken. Then Diana realized that Shayera's wings didn't feel. . . right. With a sinking heart, Diana gently turned Shayera on her side. What she saw made her gasp and blink back tears.

Shayera's wings were horribly mangled and bloody, hanging at angles that Diana knew were horribly, horribly wrong. Just then, a groan from Shayera made Diana roll her back over.

"Shayera? Shayera, wake up, please." Diana whispered, patting Shayera's cheeks. "Please Shayera, wake up." Shayera groaned again and moved her head slightly, her eyelids fluttering. "That's it, Shayera, open your eyes, please open your eyes."

Shayera's eyes fluttered open, the bright green meeting Diana's blue. "Diana. . . help. . .my. . . babies." Shayera muttered, her eyes clouded and unfocused. Then she moaned once again, her eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped against Diana.

"Shayera!" Diana yelled again, catching the winged female just before she slid out of her lap. She felt rather than heard the step behind her and turned to see John standing in the hallway, dressed simply in a pair of black sleep pants, his eyes wide and his jaw scrapping the ground.

"Shayera?" He whispered, stepping forward, staring at Shayera like he was afraid she would disappear if he blinked. "Shayera." He fell to his knees next to Diana and reached out a shaking hand to touch Shayera's cheek. "It's really her." He looked up and Diana knew he had finally realized she was there. "My God, Diana, it's really her!"

"I know John." Diana said softly, smiling despite her worry for Shayera. John's obvious joy faded when he finally took in Shayera's appearance.

"What happened Diana?"

"I don't know John. She just showed up here, pounding on the door. I opened it and she just feel into my arms. She opened her eyes a second ago, then passed out."

"My God Shy." John whispered. He moved to take Diana's place and she let him, moving Shayera's head very gently into John's lap. He didn't look at her, his gaze focused on Shayera's battered, bruised and bloody face.

"Shayera, sweetheart, what happened?" He whispered, touching Shayera's forehead and cheeks, brushing strands of hair back from her face, gently freeing them from the blood.

Shayera moaned again, arching her back in pain, then settling down once again when John touched her cheek. He slipped his hand under her back, and Diana knew by the look of horror on his face that his hand had discovered what her eyes had seen only moments before. John gently rolled her onto her side and gasped when he saw the shape of Shayera's wings.

"Oh my God." He whispered, reaching out with on hand and just barely brushing the tips of his fingers over her wings, stopping when Shayera whimpered in pain.

"Shy." John whispered in a hoarse voice full of pain. Diana retreated to wait for J'onn and Bruce, giving John some time alone with the woman he loved so deeply. She needed him right now, and he needed this time with her. She turned and hurried back when she heard a gasp from Shayera and heard her voice scream "Diana!"

"Shayera!" Diana yelled back to let her know she was there. She hurried back to find Shayera sitting up, despite John trying to keep her still.

"Diana!" Shayera cried out, throwing herself into the woman's arms as Diana fell to her knees at the Thanagarian's side.

"What is it Shayera? What happened?"

"They took them! They took them!" Shayera wailed, her heartbreaking sobs making Diana want to cry along with her.

"Who? What are you talking about Shayera?" John asked gently, touching Shayera's shoulder. Shayera jumped when she heard his voice and felt his touch and Diana realized that in her anguish, Shayera hadn't realized who had been with her. She turned his tear streaked face towards him and burst into tears all over again. John reacted purely on instinct and pulled Shayera into his arms, trying to comfort her, even though he didn't understand the source of her pain.

"Their gone John. Their both gone." Shayera whispered.

"Who's gone?" John whispered back.

"Our children." Shayera said, pulling away from him, afraid of his reaction. Instead she turned to Diana.

"Diana, my children are gone! They took my children!" Suddenly, Shayera cried out and clutched at her stomach. She pulled her hand away, covered in blood, and Diana suddenly saw that there was a large wound on her stomach. Dried blood had held Shayera's shirt to it and stopped the bleeding. Shayera's movement had ripped the shirt away and made the wound start bleeding again. She looked up at Diana, her eyes wide and terrified.

"Diana, you have to help my children." She whispered, the voice filled with pain, both physical and mental. Then her eyes rolled up in her head, and John had to dive to stop her head from hitting the floor.

"Diana, what is she talking about?" John asked as he stroked Shayera's face gently, trying to comfort her. Diana took a deep breath and decided to just tell him.

"John, she's talking about her children, your children. You're a father John."

"I'm a _what_?!"


	4. Awakening

CHAPTER FOUR

Shayera awoke slowly and painfully, the light hurting her eyes, well eye. For some reason she could only open one. She closed it with a hiss, then forced it open, waiting for it to adjust to the light before trying to focus on anything. The first thing she did focus on was the handsome black man sitting next to her bed, reading. She spent a few minutes studying the face she had longed to see for so long. It looked a little different, shaved completely bald with a new beard and mustache. Shayera couldn't decide if she liked the new facial hair or hated it.

"Hey." She whispered, catching John's attention as she sat up, wincing when she put weight on her wrist, which J'onn had set and put in a cast.

"Hey yourself." John whispered, putting his book aside and leaning forward to talk to her. "You should be sleeping."

"I'm not tired." Shayera said immediately, then laughed quietly.

"What?"

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" Shayera asked with a small grin, tilting her head. John laughed as well.

Shayera suddenly turned serious and looked away.

"What is it Shy?" John asked, reaching out and touching her arm, making sure he avoided the bandage that covered the cut on her arm.

"We need to talk, John. Really."

"Yes we do." John said. He stood up from his chair and sat down on the bed next to her. "Why didn't you tell me Shayera?"

"It was too soon John. The pain, the betrayal, was too new." Shayera whispered, hanging her head, letting her dark red hair fall over her shoulder and hide her face from him, hide her pain from the world. She took a deep, shaky breath then went on.

"I knew you hated me, but I knew you loved kids and wanted some someday. I figured if you never knew about our two, then you wouldn't. . ." She trailed off, unable to continue.

"I wouldn't what Shy?" John whispered, reaching out and touched her chin, pushing her head up so that he could see her eyes.

"You wouldn't hate them." Shayera finished in a whisper, her eyes tearing up. But Shayera wouldn't let the tears fall.

"Shayera." John said, his voice a demand. Shayera reluctantly lifted her eyes to meet his, dreading the anger and hatred she would see there. But to her surprise, Shayera didn't see any of those things. Instead there was pain and something else that Shayera was sure she would never see in those deep chocolate brown eyes of his.

Love.

What Shayera saw in John's eyes was love, love for her and her children, their children, and pain. Not pain caused by her secret, but the pain that was echoed in her own heart. The pain of having your children stolen.

"Shy, I have always loved you. I never hated you, and I would never hate our children. I have been in love with you ever since I saw you come flying at the jet to save me when we went back in time. The entire time we were being attacked by the Thanagarians, I loved you. And when I watched you fly away from me, I loved you. I cried for you every night, laying there alone in my apartment, wondering if you were okay, if you were safe, praying that no one would recognize you." John reached out and pulled Shayera into his arms.

Shayera sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, turning it ever so slightly so that she could hide from the world, and the pain it caused, in his warmth and strength.

"Aw, it's a Kodak moment. And me without my camera." A soft voice gently teased from the doorway. Shayera pulled away from John's embrace with a laugh when she recognized the voice.

"Nick! What are you doing here?"

"What do ya think? I get a call from Brucey Boy saying that he has a unconscious, winged, outlaw alien injured on his doorstep wearing a bracelet that he is _sure_ is my handiwork, would I know anything about that?" Nick winked at Shayera. "What was I supposed to do, _deny_ it? Sara, and then you, would have taken my head off."

"I would have gotten it first. I have a weapon."

"But Sara's got you beat on agility." Nick pointed out.

He grinned and came into the room, a duffel bag of Shayera's swinging from his hand. He swung it up on the bed, then enfolded Shayera into a tight hug.

"How you holding up sweetie? You going to be okay?"

"I'll be okay once I get my babies back." Shayera whispered back. Nick turned his head and gave Shayera a kiss on the temple.

"Stay strong kid. You'll find them. I have complete confidence in you."

"Thank you Nick."

"Anytime babe." Nick pulled back just a little and winked at her. "You know I love you, right?"

"I know. I love you too Nick."

"Good. Now," Nick motioned the bag at the foot of the bed, "I come bearing gifts."

"What kind of gifts?" Shayera asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay so it's not gifts. But it's just as good."

"Chocolate?"

"What is it with women and chocolate? _No_, it's not that. It's just some clothes, and some other stuff from your rooms."

"Oh really?" Shayera's eyebrow arched higher, if that was even possible. "Who packed?"

"Sara?" Nick asked, trying to look innocent.

"Oh really?" Shayera repeated.

"Ok, she packed your 'unmentionables'." Nick confessed, holding up his hands.

"Hmm."

"Really! I wasn't even in the room!"

"Hmm."

"Okay so I was in the room. But I didn't look!"

"Hmm."

"Okay so I looked. But I didn't touch, swear to god. Sara would have murdered me right then and there."

"And delivered you to me as an early Christmas gift." Shayera agreed with a grin.

"Most definitely. And now, on to more serious matters. Let me see your wings." Nick said seriously.

"When did you become a doctor?"

"Never. But I have taken care of you before. I think I'm safe in saying I'm the only one qualified."

"True." Shayera agreed. She pulled her shirt up and over her head, keeping it on her arms and holding it in front of her. John sucked in his breath when he saw the white bandages wrapped around her stomach.

Shayera turned her back toward Nick, facing John, and switched off her bracelet. J'onn had suggested keeping it turned on, once Diana had informed them of it's presence, so as not to cause Shayera too much pain. But now all that pain came flooding back as her broken and bloody wings appeared. John saw the pain on Shayera's face and took her uninjured hand. She smiled at him gratefully and gripped it tightly.

Nick moved behind her and started looking at the wings, feeling for the joints that connected them to her back, his hands cold on Shayera's bare skin. She jumped at least a foot.

"Damn it Nick! Your hands are ice cold!" She hissed at him. He laughed quietly.

"Sorry Shay." His hands moved up her wings and Shayera cried out before she could stop herself.

"That hurts." She said through gritted teeth.

"I know kid I know. I'm sorry."

"Just hurry." She whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She was close to breaking John's hand, but there was no way he was letting go.

"Shayera?"

"What Nick."

"I need you to take a deep breath and hold it. Your wings have been dislocated. I have to pop them back in before being able to see how much they might be damaged. Hold on to something." Nick advised.

"Alright." Shayera reached for John with her other hand, the one with the cast. He took it and held it as tightly as he dared. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Nick made two quick movement behind her back and Shayera's eyes shot open as she screamed. Then her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell forward into John's arms.

"_SHAYERA_!"


	5. Hiding From The World

CHAPTER FIVE

"Shayera? Come on Shayera, wake up." John patted her cheeks, trying to wake her up. "Come on Shy, open your eyes." She did, but they were bleary and unfocused. Then they closed again. "No! Come on Shy, look at me, look at me!" Shayera opened her eyes again, and blinked a few times before she focused on John's face.

"Hey there Marine." She said with a smile.

"Hey there yourself Green Eyes." John said with a relieved smile of his own.

Shayera's eyes shifted to the side, and Nick's face suddenly came into view.

"Hey there Shay. . ." Nick was cut off by Shayera's fist connecting with his jaw and sending him flying across the room where he hit into the wall. John watched his flight with wide eyes, then looked at Shayera.

"That really hurt." She muttered, gripping John's shoulder and pulling herself into a upright position. Nick climbed to his feet and stumbled back over to the bed where he sat down.

"Okay, I probably did something, sometime in my life to deserve that."

"You did." Shayera assured him though clenched teeth.

"I can't think of anything, but that's probably because hitting the wall did something to my brain." Nick said, holding his head in his hands.

"It will pass." John told the young man, having been on the receiving end of Shayera's fist, and mace, many times in the past.

"Yeah, another slam into the wall ought to take care of it." Shayera threatened, raising a fist. Nick put up his hands in the surrender position and tried to get away so fast he fell off the bed.

"I'll pass." His voice floated up from the floor. Shayera and John both laughed, Shayera leaning against John. Nick peeked over the foot of the bed, looking for all the world like a curious gopher. A gopher with tousled blonde hair and big gray eyes. "Is it safe?" He fake whispered to John. Shayera rolled her eyes.

"Get up here moron."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Nick muttered, climbing to his feet walking over to the side of the bed. "Any chance of you turning around and letting me see your wings?"

"NO!" Shayera and John both yelled.

"Shayera!" Nick said in frustration. "Stop being so damn stubborn and let me see your wings! If you don't get them treated, they won't heal right and you'll never fly again! So turn around!"

Shayera rolled her eyes and turned her back to Nick so that he could look at her wings. He touched and prodded her wings, moving feathers and rotating the wings back and forth. Shayera gasped a few times and squeezed John's hands, but she didn't faint again John was relieved to see.

"Take another deep breath Shayera." Nick said.

"Why?" Shayera asked warily.

"The tip of your left wing is out of line. I have to move it so I can wrap it." Nick said gently.

"Great." Shayera said sarcastically. "You really have to work on your bedside manner Nick."

"Duly noted." Nick said with a laugh. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Shayera closed her eyes, gripped John's hand and took a deep breath. Nick made a sharp jerking movement and there was the sickening sound of bone grinding against bone.

Shayera gasped and squeezed John's hand tightly, but she didn't scream and she didn't pass out. Nick checked the alinement, then moved to the first aid box that was sitting on the dresser top. He took some medical tape and gauze and started wrapping Shayera's wing with the ease and grace born of long experience.

"That should do it, except for a few cuts that caused the blood and some bruises. I bandaged the cuts and put some cream on the bruises." Nick said, moving out behind Shayera. "Switch your bracelet back on Shay. You need to avoid using your wings for at least six weeks. The break needs to heal, and your joints are sore."

"Nick. . . !"

"I mean it Shayera. They need to heal." Nick said, looking at her sternly.

"Nick, I have to find and save my children."

"Then get help Shayera." Nick's look softened slightly. He reached out and took Shayera's hands from John's grip and held them in his lap while he sat on the bed in front of her.

"Shayera, I know you like to be the strong, independent one, but listen to me. You are not the only one who loves those children. I love them. Sara loves them. Mr. Silent over here loves them. And the kids are not the only ones who love you. I love you. Sara loves you. Mr. Personality here loves you, and there is a billionaire playboy slash dark avenger, an Amazon princess, a young man with a very fast mouth, a green Martian, and an alien from a dead planet standing just outside that door listening to my every word who love you and are ready to help you at the drop of a hat or a single word. All you have to do is ask."

Shayera started to protest, and Nick held up his hand to stop her. "Shay, I know that, for you, asking for help is only slightly less painful that having steel needles pulled through your cheeks, but it's not quite the crisis situation you imagine. No one is going to think any less of you if you ask for help. Most of the people I mentioned before are parents and they already think that you are holding together incredibly well. They don't think they could have your strength if the situation was reversed." Nick let go of one of Shayera's hands to cup her cheek. "Please Shayera. Ask for help to get your children back and let your wings heal so that when you do get them back, you can take that beautiful little girl of yours on those midnight flights she loves so much."

Shayera placed her hand over his on her cheek and smiled at him. "Thank you Nick."

"Anytime precious." He leaned forward and resting his forehead on hers and they smiled at each other. Then Nick pulled away. "Let me see that eye and nose." Shayera let him take her face in his hands. He examined her face then rubbed some cream around her eyes and on her nose. "The swelling has gone down a lot on your nose, and your eye. It should be down by tonight, but your going to have one hell of a shiner and your nose is going to bruised for quite a while." He smiled at Shayera and stood up. "I have to get home, Sara's waiting for me."

"I'll see you later Nick." Shayera said, kissing his cheek.

"Most definitely." Nick assured her, giving her a wink before walking out of the room.

"Interesting guy." John commented after the door had shut behind Nick. Shayera laughed.

"Yeah, Nick is a character. But he's a really good guy, and he's a genius, so he's allowed to be eccentric. He also loves our children, so I know he has a good heart."

"Yeah, about my children." John said, turning to look at Shayera. The look in his eyes was like a kid on Christmas. "Come on Shayera, tell me about them." He begged. Despite her worry about them, Shayera laughed at the look on John's face. She grabbed her duffel with one hand and pulled it closer.

"Well, let's see if Nick grew a brain and packed some of their pictures."

She opened the bag and dug through a little, finally pulling out a handful of pictures. "Wow, I'm surprised. Either Nick grew a sensible part of his brain, or Sara packed these."

"Which is more likely?"

"Sara packed them."

"Ah." John said, fidgeting. Shayera laughed at him and showed him the pictures.

"Here they are." She said proudly, showing John a picture of Hayden and Haylynn standing next to the swings, arms around each others shoulders, both grinning at the camera.

"This is our son, Hayden John Stewart," she said, stroking hers sons face in the picture, "and our daughter Haylynn Lee Stewart. She's the younger twin by half and hour."

"Stewart? You gave them my last name?"

"Of course I did." Shayera said, looking at him in surprise. "Their your children too."

"Wow. My children. My son and daughter." John whispered, reaching out and touching the picture. "Their beautiful."

"Aren't they?" Shayera beamed. She went to the next picture and had to laugh. It was a picture that Sara had taken at the house and developed herself, of Hayden and Haylynn flying through the large dining room, Hayden in the lead with a look of pure terror on his face, Haylynn right behind him, fist raised, fury in her eyes. John also laughed.

"Well, I can guess who Haylynn takes after." He teased. "I seem to remember a similar scene from our past." Shayera laughed along with him. "Yeah, well Hayden is just like you." She teased him back. "He knows just what buttons to push to get his sister really mad at him, then he runs." She laughed again and touched the picture.

"Seriously though, Hayden is more like you than you think. He wants to be a Marine when he grows up. He's always begging me to take him on patrol, says he has to practice helping people."

"What about Haylynn? What does she want to be when she grows up? If she's anything like you, then I'm sure it's not going to be anything normal." Shayera laughed.

"You got that right. You'd never believe what she wants to be."

"Twenty four hours ago, I wouldn't have believed I had two children. Try me."

"She wants to be a Green Lantern." Shayera smiled sadly at the picture, then wiped her eyes. "I miss her John." She whispered. "I miss both of them so much. I miss my children. Their my babies. I miss not hearing them flying or running down the hall, calling for me, or hear them laughing. I just miss them so much."

"I know." John whispered. "It's okay Shy. We'll find them, I promise." He pulled her into his lap and held her tightly against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his neck. John held her close and kissed her hair, then felt something pressing into his chest.

"What's this?" He asked, pulling back slightly and pulling on the silver chain around Shayera's neck. What he saw made him grin and shake his head. It was the top of his ring that Hro had sliced off during that last battle, the one where only Shayera's interference had kept him from losing his head to that same axe.

"Where'd you get this?" He asked gently. Shayera smiled as she took it from John's hand and let it fall back under her shirt.

"I picked it up when we left the battle. I've never taken it off, ever since Sara had it made into a necklace for me. Even before that I always had it with me. It helped me remember that you were out there, doing your job."

"My job?" John asked. Shayera smiled at him and cupped his cheek with her uninjured hand.

"Protecting the people you love. Even if they don't know you love them, or think their unworthy of your love. It doesn't matter, your still out there risking your life to protect them."

She pulled John down to her and kissed him. And for one moment it was almost like they had traveled back in time, and were once again sitting in the dark med bay at the Watch Tower. There had been no invasion, no betrayal, no pain of loss. It was only the two of them, together. The kiss was exciting and new, but comforting and familiar at the same time. John was the first one to pull away. Shayera moved her hand to the back of John's neck and looked deep into his eyes.

John obviously saw what he needed to see in Shayera's eyes because he grinned and pulled her back into his arms for another kiss. And for a while the two tried to hide from the world and the cards of pain fate had dealt them in the warmth and comfort of each other's arms.


	6. Meeting In Dreams

CHAPTER SIX

"Mama! Where are you? Mama!" Haylynn screamed as she ran through the darkness. "Hayden! Help me! Mama! Hayden! I'm scared!" She didn't know what she was running from, or why. Even through she was only four years old, Haylynn Lee Stewart was not one to run away. From anything. Uncle Nick said she was hard headed. Aunt Sara said she just knew what she wanted and refused to budge from it. Her twin brother Hayden John called her stubborn. But Mama, Mama never said any of those things. She just ruffled Haylynn's hair and told her she was just like her parents. Which made Haylynn beam with happiness. She didn't know her father, had never known her father, but she was proud to be like him. She knew he had to someone very special or her Mama would have never fallen in love with him.

But she was all alone right now. No Mama. No Aunt Sara. No Uncle Nick. And no Hayden. Where was Hayden? Hayden was always with her! He was her older brother, although she would never, ever, ever tell him that to his face. His ego was big enough already.

"Hayden! Mama!" Haylynn yelled again. But there was nothing, not even an echo. And it was dark, everywhere. "Aunt Sara? Uncle Nick?" Haylynn called again, her voice quivering and tears filling her eyes. She was scared. Really scared. Without any reason what so ever, she started to run again. She had to run, she didn't know why. She just knew that if she wanted to get out of the darkness she had to run. And run fast.

Haylynn was close to hyper ventilating, she was so scared. When she was smaller, and afraid of the dark, her mother had taught her a small thing to say when she was scared. How did it go again?

"In brightest day. . ." She couldn't remember any more! She was too scared and the darkness was too dark. Where was Hayden? Where was Mama!

"Mama! Mama!" Haylynn screamed, her breath coming out in painful gasps. "Mama! Mama!" She sobbed. Then something caught her eye. A small green glow. Without knowing why, Haylynn suddenly turned and ran at the light.

Haylynn suddenly slammed into something that stopped her dead and knocked her flat on her back.

"Oww." She whispered.

"Hey there." The man said as he looked down at her. His face was blurry and unfocused, but his outfit was familiar.

"You're a Green Lantern." Haylynn whispered in awe.

"That's right." He knelt down to her level, but Haylynn still couldn't focus on his face. For some reason, it didn't bother her. "Who are you?"

"My name is Haylynn. Haylynn Lee Stewart.

"And how do you know about the Green Lanterns?

"My mama told me about them. My daddy is one, and I want to be one when I grow up!"

"Do you know the anthem?" The man asked with a grin, picking up Haylynn. Normally, Haylynn hated it when people she didn't know picked her up or touched her, but she felt safe with this man.

"No." Haylynn said. She felt the thing in the darkness get closer and she whimpered, cuddling up to the man, feeling safe and warm in his embrace.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"There's something out there, in the dark. I'm scared. I want my Mama, and my brother Hayden!"

"You don't have to be scared. I'll protect you."

"How?"

"With my Green Lantern ring. Did your Mama teach you the anthem?"

"She taught me something to say when I was scared of the dark."

"That's it. Say it with me."

"In brightest day. . ." The man started.

"In darkest night!" Haylynn chimed in excitedly.

"Good! Together now."

"Okay."

"No evil shall escape my sight." They both said. The green light that surrounded the man grew brighter. "Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!" The green light surrounding the man grew even brighter and exploded out from him, chasing away the darkness, and dissolving the creature that had been chasing Haylynn. Haylynn threw up an arm and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the darkness was gone and so was her fear.

"Yeah!" She cheered, throwing her arms around the mans neck. He laughed and hugged her. "You did it!" She cheered.

"We did it together Haylynn." The Green Lantern said. Haylynn pulled back and smiled at him.

"I told you my name. What's your name?"

"My names John, Haylynn. By the way, how old are you."

"I'm four."

"Your certainly smart for only being four."

"That's what my Mama says. Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick say my brother and I are precocious."

"That you are." The man paused, then looked at Haylynn closely. "Can I tell you a secret Haylynn Lee?" The man asked.

"Yeah!"

"I'm your daddy."

"Daddy!" Haylynn screamed, sitting straight up in bed.

"Haylynn!" Hayden yelled, grabbing his sister's arm. "Haylynn are you okay?"

"Yeah." Haylynn muttered, shaking her head. "It was just a dream."

"A nightmare?"

"Kind of."

"Out of one, into another." Hayden said, putting his arm around his sisters shoulder and his wing across her back.

"Tell me about it." Haylynn sighed, looking away the small cell where she and her twin had woken up after that, that. . . thing had burst into their room. It had hit Hayden first, knocking him into the wall, and when he didn't move Haylynn had screamed as load as she could, only to have something horrible smelling clamp over her mouth and nose. She beat at the thing behind her with her wings, but it didn't matter. Haylynn had continued to fight until the horrible smell in her nose and mouth overpowered her and she slipped into blackness.

Haylynn shook her head to drive away the memories and scowled at the wall.

"I wish I had Mama's mace." She said glumly. Hayden snorted.

"Hay, you can't even _lift _Mama's mace." He pointed out.

"Shut up Hay, neither can you." Haylynn shot back. Hayden just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

"Besides, even if we did have Mama's mace, which we don't, and even if we could use it, which we can't, what would we do once we got through that wall? We have no idea where we are or how to get home." Hayden said logically. Most people would have been surprised to hear a four year old talk like that, but Haylynn wasn't. Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick said that the two of them were precocious. Mama said they were smart.

"Hayden, do you think Mama is looking for us?" Haylynn whispered.

"Of course." Hayden responded without hesitation. "I bet she even went and got Daddy to help. And the Justice League!"

"Does Mama even know the Justice League?"

"I don't know, but the Justice League is a bunch of hero's, and so is Mama. I bet she knows at least _one _of them."

"Hayden, I don't really think that there is a superhero's union."

"Well, even if she doesn't know any of them personally, she knows how to find them."

"Everybody knows how to find the Justice League _Hayden John_."

"Well, then how do you find them _Haylynn Lee_?"

Haylynn glared at her brother, but he just grinned right back at her. She hated her middle name as much as he did, but Haylynn was the hot tempered one of the two while Hayden was more relaxed.

"That's easy. If you want to find the Justice League, you just try to find one of the members who has a home base here on Earth, like Superman or Batman. Superman is in Metropolis, Batman is in Gotham City with Batgirl and Robin, Nightwing is in Bludhaven. . ."

"Nightwing isn't in the Justice League." Hayden interrupted.

"But Batman is."

"So?"

"Nightwing _knows_ Batman. I can't remember where the Flash is, but I do know that the Green Lantern is in New York."

"How do you know that?" Hayden asked his sister. "I didn't know that the Green Lantern had a home base."

"Mama told me."

"Oh."

They were both silent for a minute, then Haylynn spoke again. But her voice was so low and frightened that Hayden almost didn't recognize it.

"Hayden, do you think Mama went to Daddy?"

"What?"

"Well, Mama always told us that daddy was a hero, right? With the Green Lantern Corps?"

"Yeah." Hayden said, trying to be reassuring.

"Hayden?" Haylynn whispered again.

"Yeah?"

"What else did Mama say about him?"

"Don't you remember?" Hayden teased his sister. Mama had always told them about their father as a sort of bedtime story. But Haylynn always fell asleep faster then Hayden did, so she probably didn't always hear what their mother had said about their dad. So Hayden searched his memory, trying to remember four years worth of bedtime stories.

"Well, Mama said that he was brave and strong, very strong. She also said he was very stubborn sometimes, like you runt." Hayden poked his sister in the ribs, making her squirm and laugh as she tried to get away.

"Don't call me runt!" She protested through her laughter.

"Why not? You're the younger twin!"

"By half and hour Hayden!"

"Half and hour is half an hour Haylynn."

"Hayden! Stop it!" Haylynn managed to squirm away from him and pushed him.

"All right. I'll stop. Anyway, Mama said that Daddy was a Marine. . ."

"Like you want to be."

"Right. And he was a member of the Green Lantern Corps."

"Like I want to be!"

"Right!"

"Well, aren't you two smart." An unfamiliar voice said.


	7. A Mysterious Feather

_Authors Note _Sorry this took so long! I've had it written forever, but first, my computer was being weird (first it wouldn't open my word processor, then it wouldn't log on to the internet, then it wouldn't let me go to fanfiction), and then I went away for labor day weekend, then my boss had been running me ragged at work. MAN! Anyway, heres chapter seven, and my computer is finally working right, so Chapter eight should be up soon!

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Haylynn." John whispered, opening his eyes. He had just had the weirdest dream. He had been standing in the dark and had activated his ring to give himself a little light. Soon after, a small, winged girl who looked exactly like his daughter Haylynn had slammed into his legs. He had picked her up, and she had told him that her name was Haylynn Lee Stewart. She knew he was a Green Lantern, and also seemed to be scared of something in the dark. John and her had recited the Green Lanterns motto, and he had made the darkness, and the think in it, disappear. Haylynn had hugged, him and asked his name. He told her his name, then told her that he was her daddy. That when he woke up.

It took a minute to figure out where he was, until he tried to sit up and couldn't because there was a weight on his chest. He looked down and saw a familiar head of red hair laying on his chest, it's ear right above his heart and her hair spread out across his bare chest. Shayera. Last night all came rushing back to him. Shayera was back in his arms and she had brought a surprise with her. Children. _His _children. Twins, a boy and a girl. Hayden John Stewart and Haylynn Lee Stewart. Stewart. He still couldn't believe that she had given them his last name. After all that had happened, she still loved him enough to give their children his last name instead of hers.

Shayera stirred and rested her chin on his chest as she looked up at him.

"Morning." He said, smiling at her.

"Hmm, morning." She replied with a smile, rolling off of him and taking the sheet with her. She moved up to lay next to him, putting her head on his shoulder. John turned his head and kissed her temple. Shayera grinned up at him and wrinkled her nose.

"John, honey, the facial hair has to go." She told him, reaching up and running the tips of her fingers through his beard, scratching gently. John smiled at her and kissed the bandage on her forehead.

"I kind of like it."

"I don't." Shayera said defiantly.

"Oh yeah?" John grabbed her hip and pinned her to the bed gently, so as not to aggravate any of her wounds. He leaned over her and rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Ahh! John! Quit it!" Shayera yelped with laughter, struggling against his grip, but John used his weight to keep her pinned. "You're a jackass John. Your lucky I love you."

"I'm sure I am."

"You are. Now, let me up. I have to shower and get dressed."

"Why?" John asked her, grinning at her. "I kinda like this."

"So do I." Shayera whispered. John grinned but took his weight off of her so he could lay next to her. Shayera touched his cheek, then trailed her hand down to his bandaged shoulder.

"What happened?" She whispered.

"I went on patrol with Bats and broke his fall when his line slipped. Sprained my shoulder."

"And these?" She asked, her hand touching the white tape around his ribs. He sucked in his breath when her fingers touched his skin, then relaxed.

"Bruised ribs. Also a present from Bats."

"Since when did you go on patrol with Bats?"

"Since he wanted to get home earlier."

The sound of a child crying split the air, followed by tiny footsteps running down the hall followed by the voice of a small boy. "Mama! Daddy! Mama!"

"And that's why he wanted to be home more." John said. Shayera looked away from him, a single tear coursing its way down her cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey." John said, pulling her into his lap, leaving the sheet behind. "We'll find them. I promise. And when we do," he touched Shayera's cheek and turned her head to face him, "then we'll be a family, like we should have been all along. I promise."

"I'd like that." Shayera whispered, resting her forehead on his.

"Shayera, I need to talk to you." Bruce opened the door. Shayera dived for the sheet.

"BRUCE! God damn it, learn to knock!" She snarled. Bruce didn't even apologize.

"I went over to the King house to look for evidence. . ."

"Bruce. . ."

". . .and I found a feather I can't identify."

"Bruce. . ."

"So I need to take a blood sample, to compare DNA and rule you out."

"BRUCE!!!" Shayera yelled at the top of her lungs. Bruce stopped mid sentence and looked at her, confused.

"Is there something wrong Shayera?"

"GET OUT!!"

Diana peeked over her husbands shoulder and laughed at Shayera's frustration, and her husband ignorance.

"Come on Bruce, Thomas wants you."

"I need a DNA sample from Shayera."

"Later Bruce." Diana insisted, pulling on his arm. Thomas's voice broke in right then.

"Daddy!"

"Go." Diana insisted, pushing Bruce. "You can get a DNA sample from Shayera later." Diana finally managed to pull her husband out of the room and closed the door.

Shayera fell back on the pillows with a groan.

"Remind me why I haven't killed him?"

"Because he's basically a good guy?" John replied with a grin. Shayera rolled her eyes, then rolled out of bed and began rummaging through her bag for something. She dressed quickly in jeans and a tee shirt, pulling on a pair of sneakers to complete the picture.

"Come on John, get dressed." Shayera said with a smile, throwing his pajama bottoms at him. John caught them, but Shayera was already out the door. Obviously looking for Bruce so he could run his DNA test. John quickly scrambled back into his clothes, then followed her.

Shayera left John in the room and made her way to the living room of the Wayne manor. As Nick had said, all the members of the original Justice League were there waiting for her, as well as some people that Shayera didn't recognize. As soon as Diana saw her, she stood up, Thomas in her arms, and crossed to her. Diana hugged Shayera tightly, and seemed to break the tension between Shayera and her former teammates. Pretty soon, Shayera found herself in the middle of a huge group hug.

"Welcome back Shy." Flash said, giving her a huge bear hug that lifted her off the ground. Shayera laughed and hugged the Scarlet Speedster back.

"Thank you Flash."

"Hello Shayera." J'onn said in his deadpan voice, his face once again not betraying any emotion. But he did give her a small smile and a hug. Shayera hugged him back.

"Hello J'onn, I missed you." Shayera pulled back and smiled at him.

"Maybe when this is over, I could come and visit." J'onn suggested.

"I'd like that J'onn." Shayera laughed. "But you'd have competition for the Oreo's. Hayden loves them." J'onn smiled at that and moved aside for Superman.

"Hello Hawkgirl." He said with his gentle smile.

"It's just Shayera right now." She reminded him, pointed at her unmasked face. "See, no mask." She smiled sadly at the little girl in Superman's arms, her arms wrapped around his neck and her big brown eyes peering at Shayera curiously.

"This is my daughter Andrea." Superman said.

"She's beautiful." Shayera whispered, blinking back tears. Superman pulled her into a hug with one arm.

"Don't worry Hawk. . . Shayera. We'll all help you find them, I promise."

"Yeah Shayera." Flash chimed in, his face serious for once. "We'll all help. We'll get your children back for you."

"Thank you, all of you." Shayera said, still fighting back the tears that filled her eyes. Then she looked at Bruce, who for once wasn't in his cap and cowl around the rest of the Justice League. "If you still need that blood, I'm ready Bruce."

Bruce shook his head. "No, I just used one of the towels J'onn used to stop your bleeding last night for comparison." Bruce told her. "Just like I thought, the feather isn't yours but we had to rule you out right away."

"I understand." Shayera told him. And she did, she used to be a detective. "Can you show me the feather?" Bruce nodded and picked up a plastic evidence bag from the end table. When she saw the feather, Shayera felt all the breath leave her lungs. Her knees started to buckle, but John had just come in and he caught her in his arms.

"What is it Shy?" He asked, picking her up and carrying her to the couch.

Shayera reached out her hand, and took the bag from Bruce. "Let me see that." John noticed that her hands were shaking as she held the bag up and examined the feather closely. John looked at it over her shoulder. The feather was very large, larger even then hers, and was a light blue color with white lines running through it.

"That bastard." Shayera growled, throwing the bag away from her. "That son of a _BITCH!"_


	8. I'm Your Father

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Well, aren't you two smart." An unfamiliar voice said. Hayden jumped in front of Haylynn, his wings fluffed out, when the cell door opened. The light from the hallway was behind him, so all they could see was a shadowy outline. A shadowy outline _with wings_.

"Hayden." Haylynn hissed, poking her brother in between his wings. "That guy has wings."

"I noticed." Hayden hissed back. The man stepped further into the cell, into the light. He was taller, much taller than their Mama, but about Uncle Nick's height. He had light skin, lighter than theirs, with green eyes and shoulder length light brown hair. He also had wings like theirs. But his wings were light blue, with white line running through them, and much larger then theirs or their Mama's.

"Who are you?" Hayden asked defensively.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"My name is Hayden John Stewart, and this is my sister Haylynn Lee." Hayden said, still wary and still standing in front of Haylynn.

"What's your mother's name?" The man asked.

"Shayera Hol." Haylynn piped up, peeking over Hayden's wing.

"I thought so."

"But who are you, and what are we doing here?" Haylynn demanded. The man smiled at them, and Haylynn gulped, pressing closer to Hayden's back, in between his wings. Hayden's wings bent back reflexively to cover her.

"I'm your father."

"No your not!" Haylynn and Hayden both yelled at the same time, Haylynn jumping out from behind her brother and standing next to him. The man towered over her, and the twins were small for their age, so Haylynn fluffed out her wings as large as she could, trying to make herself look bigger.

"Your not my daddy!" She yelled, glaring at the man.

"I didn't say that." The man said. "I said I was your father."

"NO, your not!"

"And how do you know that my child?" The man asked, his cold voice sending chills down the children's spines. "Do you know your father? Does he live with you and your mother."

"No." Hayden said firmly. "But your from Thanagar, like Mama. Our daddy is from Earth."

"And how do you know that if he doesn't live with you?" The man asked again.

"Our Mama told us." Haylynn said, glaring at the man. He was giving her the cheeps but she wouldn't show fear. She refused to let this man know she was afraid.

"What exactly did your mother tell you?" The man asked again. Haylynn stuck out her chin.

"She told us all about our Daddy! Our daddy is a hero on Earth. He was a member of the United States Marine Corps, and he is a Green Lantern!"

"Besides, you don't look anything like our daddy." Hayden added, also glaring at the man in the doorway.

"How do you know what your father looks like? Do you have a picture?" The man asked mockingly. Haylynn visibly bristled, her feathers practically standing on end.

"No, but our Mama told us what he looks like." She told the man confidently. "He had dark skin, which is where Hayden and I get our skin tone, and he had black hair, which is where we get out black hair from. You have lighter skin than ours, and your hair is brown! You can't be our daddy!"

"How do you know your Mama didn't lie to you?" The man asked, taking a menacing step forward. Haylynn's first instinct was to back away, but she stood her ground. So did Hayden, but he did reach out and take Haylynn's hand when he noticed it start to shake. Haylynn squeezed it tightly, communicating to her twin. Don't leave me, her grip said. I won't, Hayden's grip responded.

"Our Mama doesn't lie to us." Hayden said firmly.

"How do you know?" The man insisted.

"Because I've seen my daddy." Haylynn burst out. The man looked startled, but quickly recovered.

"Oh yeah? Where?" He snarled.

"In my dreams." Haylynn said calmly. "He's always there in my dreams when I'm scared and I need him."

"Prove it." The man said with a smirk. Haylynn still didn't back down, but she did squeeze Hayden's hand even harder. He didn't mind, he just squeezed back.

"My daddy taught my the Green Lanterns motto in my dreams." Haylynn told the man with a snarl of her own.

"And why would a Green Lantern teach their motto to an insulant brat like you?" The man hissed. He was getting angry. Good.

"Because I'm going to be one." Haylynn told her captor proudly, holding her head high.

"You can't." The man responded with his evil grin. "The Thanagarians are the most warlike and bloodthirsty species in the whole galaxy. They'd never let one of them in the Green Lantern Corps."

"But I'm only half Thanagarian." Haylynn pointed out proudly. "My daddy is from Earth. And because he's a Green Lantern, that means I can be one too!"

"You're a lying brat." The man snarled at Haylynn. Hayden glared at the man.

"My sister is not a liar, and neither is my Mama." He said, in a growl that was terrifyingly like that of his father. "You take that back." He demanded, his free hand clenching into a fist like his mother had taught him. "You take that back right now or I'll. . ." He tried to step forward, but Haylynn tightened her grip almost painfully on his hand.

"Hayden, don't." She whispered to her twin. Hayden stopped but continued to glare at the man.

"I'm not a liar." Haylynn said calmly. "And I can prove it. In brightest day, in darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light! That's the Green Lantern motto, and that's what my Daddy taught me!" Haylynn glared at the man.

In one swift movement he stepped forward and back handed Haylynn. Haylynn cried out as the blow ripped her away from her brother and slammed her into the wall.

"Stop it!" Hayden yelled, taking flight and flying at the man, a small tornado of fists, feet and wings. "You leave my sister alone! Pick on someone your own size!"

"Like you, you little half-breed?" The man said, forming a fist and throwing a punch at Hayden. The blow caught him right in the stomach. All of the breath left his throat as he flew backwards and hit the wall with a horrible crash. He fell to the floor and didn't move.

"_HAYDEN!_" Haylynn yelled, jumping to her feet and wiping away the small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth that the man's blow had drawn. She tried to run to her brother, but the man grabbed on of her wings in his huge hands and yanked her back, right off her feet. Haylynn cried out in pain. "Stop it! Leave us alone!" She used her other wing to beat the man, but it had no effect. So Haylynn used her foot in a move that her mother had taught her, to only use in emergency's. The man grunted in pain and sank to his knees, releasing Haylynn's wing. Haylynn rushed to her brothers side.

"Hayden, Hayden! Are you okay?" She asked frantically, desperately looking for any signs of life in her brothers face. He groaned and sat up and Haylynn sighed in relief. "Your okay!"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Hayden said, getting to his feet. Or trying too. His legs were weak and wouldn't support him. Haylynn caught him before he fell.

"Thanks." Hayden told his sister. Then he caught a glimpse of something over his sister's shoulder and his eyes went wide.

"Watch out!" Hayden yelled. But it was too late. The man brought a hand down hard on Haylynn shoulder. She screamed, and her eyes rolled up in her head. Hayden, who's legs had strengthened slightly now that he was standing, caught his sister, using his wings to jump back and carry the both of them away from the man at the same time. "Haylynn!" He laid her down gently, and then growled at the man. "You hurt my sister!"

He jumped into the air and flew at the man, really, really, _really _furious for the first time in his life. No one touched his little sister! _No one!_

"Don't touch my sister!" Hayden screamed, throwing a punch at the man's jaw.


	9. Horrors Of The Past

**_AN: _**Thanks _so _much to everyone that reveiwed! And to get all of you off my back, no it's not Hro who took the kids, but it _is _someone from Shayera's past! Anyway, it's all revealed in this chapter, so read on and don't forget to review once again! Thank you!

CHAPTER NINE

"That son of a bitch!" Shayera fumed, throwing the bag away from her and jumping to her feet. She started to pace as she continued to rant. "That rat bastard! I'm going to kill him! I'm going to slit his stomach, take out his guts and put them in a bowl!"

"Who? Shayera, who are you talking about?" John asked, still sitting on the couch, giving her the space and distance he knew she needed when she was angry and need to pace. He look closer, and suddenly noticed how much she was shivering. "Shy? Are you okay?" She finally raised her eyes to look at him, and he was shocked to see them filled with tears.

"No, I'm not." She whispered, practically flying into his arms. He stood up to receive her, and Shayera buried her face in his chest. "I'm not okay. I'm scared John. Scared for the twins."

"Shayera, who took them?" John whispered, touching her hair as he tried to soothe her fears. "Who does that feather belong too?" Shayera took a deep breathe and pulled away from John, but letting him take her uninjured hand and lend her strength that way as she faced the rest of the Justice League.

"It's a feather from the wing of a Thanagarian." She whispered, confirming their worst fears. "But not just any Thanagarian. That feather came from the wing of one of Wings of War."

"The Wings of War?" Superman questioned, putting his daughter down when she started squirming.

"Thomas, go play with Andrea." Diana told her son quietly. Thomas looked up at her, his huge bright blue eyes lighting up with a smile.

"Okay Mama." Thomas took Andrea's hand and led her from the room. Shayera smiled after them, then turned back to her teammates.

"Shayera, sit down." Diana insisted softly. "You've been through a lot and still need all the rest you can get."

"Okay." Shayera agreed, allowing John to lead her to the couch where they sat down, Shayera still maintaining her death grip on John's hand. She took a deep breath and began.

"The Wings of War, are just what they sound like, their warriors. But their not just any warriors. Their bigger, stronger and faster than the normal Thanagarian, and if they were smarter, they would be more dangerous. A few years before I was born, just as my father was starting at the police academy in fact, someone high up in the government noticed that babies born with wings that were light blue with white lines, a very rare occurrence in a world where our wings usually match our hair, or are at least muted colors like light brown or gray, grew up to be bigger, stronger and faster then others their own age. Unfortunately, most of them were also mute, or deaf, or for some reason could not think for themselves. Somebody got the brilliant idea to train these people to be soldiers. Not just soldiers, but warriors, warriors who would only obey orders given to them by certain people and never question orders.

"By the time I was in grade school, the government was taking any children born with blue and white wings away from their parents almost as soon as they were born and putting them into what they called 'special' schools. But they weren't schools, they were training camps. While I was learning how to read, the government was training children my age how to kill. That's all these kids knew, and the worst part was, they were being raised to be drones, nothing more. Simply soldiers that would follow any order given to them, and would fight until every last one of them was dead if that's what it took. 'Surrender' meant nothing to them, they hadn't been taught how to lose, or how to survive in the outside world. They also weren't taught 'mercy'. They went into battle and slaughtered everyone that opposed them.

"And you have to remember, these were kids, _children_, that they were doing this too. They were training children how to kill. They were training children how to be soldiers, without teaching them about love, or happiness, or sadness, or any emotion. They were turning children into robots, killing machines, plain and simple. Anyone who saw these children got the chills just looking at them. I saw them when I was still in training at the academy." She looked up at the rest of the Justice League, her eyes haunted and filled with tears. But her eyes were also unfocused as she reached deep into her brain and brought forth memories she had tried to forget.

"Have you ever seen a child with no soul? That's what those kid's eyes looked like. They were hollow, and blank. There was no emotion, no feeling, there was _nothing._ It was like they were nothing but shells, operating by remote control, performing actions they didn't understand, for reasons they didn't understand. These children didn't understand what killing was, didn't understand what it meant to take a life. To them, killing someone was simply a command, something to be done. They had no understanding of family, of the pain of losing someone. They didn't even mourn when one of their own went down, simply put their bodies with the bodies of their enemies and burned them all."

Shayera shivered, hugging herself, and John put his arm around her, offering his warmth and support. Shayera briefly focused on him and gave him a smile, then returned to her narrative.

"Then one day, someone discovered that one of the older Wings of War that they had believed mute, wasn't. He could talk. Not only could he talk, he could hold a conversation with someone and understand it. He was a genius. A genius killing machine. A machine that could think for itself.

"The high command started getting nervous. The whole point of the Wings of War was that they _couldn't_ think for themselves. They just did what they were told, no questions asked. One that could think, not only think but understand new ideas, was a threat to that power they had over the Wings. So they decided to kill him. But one thing they hadn't counted on was the fact that Graykon, that was his name, had the complete and total loyalty of the Wings. They were totally committed to him. When the regular soldiers came to the barracks to take Graykon away and kill him, they were attacked by the Wings. They didn't stand a chance. Not only were the Wings totally ruthless, they also had surprise on their side. No one expected them to attack when no one had ordered them too. But Graykon had control now. He had ordered the Wings to protect him and they did.

"That night every single member of the Wings of War, all over Thanagar, even the newborn babies in the nursery, disappeared from their bases. They were completely under Graykon's command now. But now everyone was scared. Yes, Graykon was a genius. But he was also crazy. Within weeks of the escape, he and the Wings took over a city. They slaughtered everyone and set it up as their base of operations. The army tried to attack it, but they didn't stand a chance against the Wings. These were soldiers that had been trained to kill since before kids their age had learned to read.

"Then Graykon took it one step further. He declared that the Wings were not just a military group that had gone rouge. No, he said that the Wings were the chosen people of the planet Thanagar, and that everyone else had to die so that he could assume his rightful place as the ruler of our world. He demanded that every Wing baby be delivered to them. The government refused of course. To prevent any more Wings from being turned against them, the government swept through cities, grabbing and killing every Wing baby they could find. Remember, Wings were born to perfectly normal, healthy Thanagarian women. But the government was too slow. The Wings got there first, and took every Wing baby, killing the mothers who cried and tried to hold on to their babies, or doctors and nurses who refused to hand over Wing babies that had been born in the hospitals.

"Then Graykon really flipped. He declared that the death of all the half breed children would herald the coming of his age of power. He took control of a nearby volcano, and the Wings started rounding up any young child who looked different. He said that the world had to be purged of the half breeds, that his God had told him that the only way he could assume his rightful place was if he threw every half breed child into the volcano. When all the half breeds were gone, the volcano would erupt and the lava would spread until it covered the whole planet, sparing only the Wings."

"Wait a minute." Superman interrupted. "I thought that the Thanagar's hated off-worlders."

"They do, that's the problem." Shayera said, her face and eyes telling of a horror that the others had never seen. "All the children that Graykon had his Wings round up, all those small children he killed, that he _threw _into a _volcano_, were all pure breed Thanagarian children. There was nothing wrong with them, other than the fact that their skin was a little darker, their hair was dark, or their wings were a slightly different color than normal.

"Well anyway, after killing a lot of children, and not having the volcano overflow, Graykon came up with the solution. His God had revealed to him that there were half-breed adults too. So the Wings started rounding up adults too. But these adults weren't rounded up based on what they looked like. They were simply picked at random." Shayera closed her eyes and clutched John tighter, trying to protect herself from her memories. "I was one of the first women rounded up. Graykon saw me before I was thrown into the volcano, and suddenly twisted his views. He said that God had revealed to him that _he_ had to father two children who's death at a young age would bring about Graykon's true power. And I was supposed to be the mother."

John's grip tightened around Shayera, also trying to protect her from the pain of the past. Shayera opened her eyes and gave him a small smile, then continued. "Fortunately, Hro had mounted a rescue team and managed to save me and isolate Graykon away from the Wings so they couldn't save him. But we couldn't kill Graykon either. If we had, there would have been no one controlling the Wings, and they would have been running loose across the planet. Can you imagine that? Hundred, maybe thousands of ruthless warriors, who only know how to kill, running wild, with no one who can stop or even control them. So we made a deal with Graykon. He would take his Wings and leave the planet, never to return, and we would let him live. Graykon may had been crazy, but he was also a genius. He accepted the deal. But before he left, he looked right into my eyes and said 'You carry the secret to my power in your womb. I know you do. Believe me, your children will be mine, and their death will give me my power.'"

Shayera looked up at the Justice League. "After that, we got word that the Wings had tried to land on a planet and been shot out of the sky. All survivors had been shot on site. One was Graykon. I thought I was safe, that any of my future children were safe." She swallowed hard and looked at the feather. "Obviously, the report was faked. He's found me." Shayera turned to look at John, her fear evident on her face. "My God John, that manic has our children! Our _half-breed _children!"


	10. The Twins Are Seperated

**_AN:_** You will be happy to know that I have finished typing the story! It is a total of 13 chapers long, and I will get them up soon. For now, here's chapter ten!

CHAPTER TEN

"Don't touch my sister!" Hayden screamed, throwing a punch at the man's jaw. He obviously wasn't expecting Hayden to react like that, because he didn't duck, and Hayden connected solidly. The blow made the man stagger backwards, and sent Hayden wheeling backwards out of control. Remembering all of his mother's lessons, Hayden folded his wings in close to his back and dropped to the ground, bending his legs to absorb the impact. The man shook his head and recovered his balance, then turned to face Hayden, hatred and anger burning in his eyes.

Hayden glared right back and spread his wings like he was once again going to fly. The man also spread his wings, and was unprepared when, instead of taking to the air, Hayden soared at him low across the ground and hit the mans legs with his wings, knocking him over. But as he fell the man reached out and grabbed a handful of Hayden's feathers. He pulled, yanking out some feathers. Hayden screamed in pain and fell, folding his wings into to protect them. He shook his head and snarled at the man as the man threw his handful of Hayden's feathers onto the ground.

"You shouldn't have tried to fight." The man said with a chilling grin. He started to walk toward Haylynn's limp body.

"Get away from her!" Hayden yelled, jumping up onto the man's back and gripping his own handfuls of feathers. Then he jumped away, his hands gripping the feathers tightly. Hayden hit the ground and rolled, two handfuls of light blue and white feathers in his grip, and the man screamed in pain and anger as he spun around to face Hayden.

"You really shouldn't have tried to fight." The man repeated as he walked toward Hayden, who tried to back away, only the feel the cold stone of the wall at his back. He was backed into a corner and couldn't go anywhere. The man saw this and smiled again, making Hayden start to sweat with fear.

"And maybe if you hadn't, I wouldn't have to do this!" The man jumped forward suddenly and brought his fist down on the side of Hayden's neck. Hayden groaned, his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell limply to the ground.

The man smirked, then turned his back on the boy and crossed the cell. He stopped by Haylynn's limp body and picked it up, throwing it over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Haylynn moaned. The man ignored her and headed towards the door, viciously kicking Hayden in the ribs as he passed him. Hayden regained consciousness when he did. Weakly, he grabbed the man's ankle. The man simply glared at the boy before kicking him in the jaw and flipping him onto his back. Hayden groaned, his eyes fluttering. The man smiled once evilly before aiming a kick at Hayden's head. Hayden barely rolled out of the way, and the man kicked his shoulder, sending Hayden's small body sliding across the floor. He hit the wall and moaned again.

He sat up and shook his head just as the door to the cell slammed shut.

"_NO! HAYLYNN!_" He yelled, throwing himself at the small window in the door and gripping the bars. "_HAYLYNN! HAYLYNN!" _

"_HAYDEN!" _Haylynn, who had finally regained consciousness yelled as she struggled to get away from the man. "_NO! HAYDEN!_"

"_HAYLYNN!" _Hayden screamed, finally losing strength and sliding to the floor. He lay there in a heap, cursing the man and crying for his twin sister.

Haylynn grunted in pain as the man threw her into a cell and she landed on her butt.

"OW! That hurt! You did that on purpose!" She accused, glaring at the man. He looked at her in confusion.

"What do you care? Your going to die soon. Then your unclean blood will be purged from my planet and I will take my rightful place as the ruler."

"Your nuts." Haylynn said bluntly. "My Mama and Daddy are going to come get me, you'll see."

"I told you, you little brat, I am your father!" The man yelled stepping into the cell, his fist balled. Haylynn back pedaled quickly.

"Okay! Okay! Chill out." Haylynn said, holding her hands up in the surrender position. The man stopped, then turned on his heel and stomped from the cell, slamming the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Haylynn whispered a word under her breath that her Mama would prefer she didn't know yet and kicked the wall. Several times. On the last time she kicked at an angle and stubbed her toe. Haylynn gripped her foot and hopped around the room, swearing under her breath, finally falling backwards onto the narrow cot.

"I hate this." She muttered, crossing her arms behind her head and glaring up at the ceiling. Haylynn may have been brave, or at least too stubborn to be afraid, but she hated being separated from her brother. Haylynn and Hayden liked to fight, especially with each other, but in reality they were the best of friends, ready to jump to each other's defense at the drop of a hat. Unexpectedly, Haylynn felt tears start to fill her eyes. Angrily, Haylynn swiped at the tears. She hated crying. She _never _cried.

Unable to stop the tears, Haylynn rolled onto her side, facing the wall and wrapped her wings around herself. Haylynn wanted to go home. She wanted her Mama. She wanted to see Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick. Most of all, she wanted to meet her Daddy. She wanted to meet the Green Lantern in her dreams who said he was her daddy, who made her feel safe and warm, the one who's face she couldn't see clearly. Haylynn jumped to her feet, rubbing her eyes, trying to dispel the tears. She had to be strong. She was going to be a Green Lantern. She had to be brave. Green Lanterns were brave and strong. Green Lanterns didn't cry. Hayden didn't cry.

Hayden! Was he okay? The man who had taken her away from him had really hurt him! Sure, Hayden was stronger than most four year olds, but he was still small for his age, they both were! Unable to do anything else, Haylynn tried desperately to reach out to Hayden with her mind. Sometimes they could communicate like this, but it didn't always work, and Haylynn had never tried to do it over a greater distance than across their room. But she had to know if he was okay. If that man had hurt Hayden really bad. . .

'_Hayden, are you okay? Can you hear me? Hayden?'_

When there was no answer, Haylynn collapsed back on her cot, the tears threatening to overflow again.

'_Haylynn? Is that you?'_

'_Hayden!' _Haylynn sat straight up on her cot, mentally screaming her twins name.

'_Don't yell Hay. I have a major headache.'_

'_I'm not surprised. The slime ball kind of kicked you into a BRICK WALL!'_

'_Haylynn! Stop yelling!'_

'_Sorry.' _Haylynn was quiet for a while, simply laying on her bed and revealing in the knowledge that Hayden was okay.

'_Haylynn?'_

'_Yeah.'_

'_I wanna go home.'_

'_So do I. I miss Mama.'_

'_So do I. I miss Aunt Sara and Uncle Nick too.' _

'_I know. I miss daddy.'_

'_We don't know daddy.' _Hayden reminded his twin. _'How can you miss someone you don't know?'_

'_I saw him in my dreams Hayden.' _Haylynn told her brother. _'I really saw him. He was THERE.'_

'_Okay, Haylynn, okay.' _Hayden told his sister soothingly. _'I believe you, you know that. I always believe you, because you're my sister and I love you. But how do you know it was Daddy?'_

'_He told me.'_

'_But why did you believe him?'_

'_Because he was a Green Lantern.'_

'_There are lots of Green Lanterns Haylynn.'_

'_I could just feel it Hayden.'_

'_Explain it to me Haylynn, if you can.' _Hayden coaxed his sister. Haylynn was silent for a moment, trying to come up with a way to describe the way the man in her dream had made her feel.

'_He made me feel safe.' _Haylynn finally told her twin. _'He made me feel very safe, just by holding me. And when he said he would protect me, I knew that he would do everything in his power to do that. I just felt comfortable with him.'_


	11. The Twins Are Found

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Do I have to?" Shayera half whined, dragging her feet a little as John tried to coax her to the area where Supergirl would be picking them up. The original Justice League had decided that they stood a better chance of finding the children if they had brought in the entire League. Shayera had agreed, but was nervous about meeting the Justice League that had been rebuilt because of her betrayal.

"Shy, come on." John said with a smile, pulling her into his arms. "It'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" She asked, burying her face in his chest.

"Yes, I'm positive." John told her, lifting her chin so that he could look into her eyes, then kissing her gently. Or at least he meant it to be gentle.

But Shayera wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth over his. John surrendered to Shayera and kissed her back, holding her tight against his chest. He finally pulled back, gulping air desperately while Shayera smirked at him. John laughed at the look on her face.

"Damn those Thanagarian lungs of yours." He teased. Shayera laughed and pulled him in for another kiss, this one sweet and slow.

"Get a room." A young voice snapped. Shayera and John both pulled away, and John looked over Shayera's shoulder at the short blonde standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Your late." He snapped back before he could stop himself. He liked Supergirl, he really did. But the way she was glaring at the two of them annoyed him. Shayera also turned to face the voice, staying inside John's embrace.

"I'm Shayera Hol." Shayera said a little tentatively. Supergirl's eyes shot open wide, then narrowed.

"I know who you are. You're the traitor who tried to deliver Earth on a silver platter to your boyfriend."

"Kara!" Superman's shocked voice suddenly said from behind the small blonde, causing her to jump at least three feet in the air. John tried unsuccessfully to stop a snicker from escaping from his lips, and Shayera made an odd choking noise that told John she was also trying not to laugh. "Stop it Kara. We were wrong to judge Shayera so harshly four year ago. If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation. So stop it."

"Okay Clark." Kara said, hanging her head. Superman smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder.

"Now apologize to Shayera."

Kara looked up at Shayera, regret showing clearly in her eyes. "Shayera, I'm really sorry. I really am. I had no business saying that. I was totally out of line. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Shayera told the younger super heroine with a smile. "I was beating myself up the same way after it happened. You didn't say anything I hadn't already thought of."

"Friends?" Kara asked, holding out her hand.

"Friends." Shayera said, taking the teenagers hand. Kara beamed at the older heroine, then hugged her impulsively. Shayera was a little surprise, yet hugged her back, a little awkwardly.

"Okay Kara, break it up." John teased, pulling Shayera back into his arms. Shayera laughed at his possessiveness.

"Ignore him Kara. He's a little weird."

"Shayera! John!" Flash zoomed up, scaring Kara so much that she jumped up into the air and stayed there, hovering.

"What wrong Kara?" Flash teased, "Not used to me yet, even after more than four years?"

"What's up Flash?" John asked, hoping to head off a fight between the two. Flash turned serious.

"J'onn sent me. He says he's found the twins."

"WHAT?!" Shayera and John yelled. Flash nodded, then pointed back towards Bruce's house.

"He's in the Batcave. He sent me out to find. . ." John and Shayera were suddenly gone. ". . .you." Flash finished. He looked around, confused. "Where'd they go?" Kara laughed as she landed next to her scarlet clad teammate.

"Flash, sometimes you can be really. . ." She trailed off, not quite sure how to continue without hurting her friends feelings.

"Cute?" Flash questioned, winking at the blonde. She laughed and shook her head.

"Cute, but stupid." Kara teased before flying off.

Flash shook his head, then ran to the Batcave where he had left Bats and John. John and Shayera were already there, Shayera looking a little white and gripping John, who was also swaying a little.

"You really found them?" She asked J'onn. He nodded, then turned to Bats computer, which showed a map of New York.

"Their in New York?" John asked, looking at the map while he held Shayera.

"Their in the air above New York." J'onn told them. "But I picked up the twins communicating with each other."

"'Communicating?'" John asked.

"Sometimes the twins. . . talk to each other." Shayera tried to explain. John looked at her, and Shayera knew she wasn't doing a good job of explaining. "As in telepathically." She turned back to J'onn and Batman. "Why are we still discussing this? Can we go?"

Less than ten minutes later, they were on their way, in one of the new Javelins. Her and John were in the back seat, tightly gripping hands, while Batman flew and J'onn navigated. Sensing her stiffness, Batman spoke up.

"Hawkgirl, how do you know Nick?"

"They found me collapsed on their roof, pregnant, injured and dangerously ill. Of course, they recognized me from the news, but they took a chance. Nick and Sara took me in and nursed me, hiding me from the public eye and opened their hearts and home to me." Shayera said with a smile, leaning against John's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her.

"I, for one, am glad they did." He whispered in her ear. Shayera smiled up at him, then turned back to Batman.

"I was going to move out when the twins were born, but Nick and Sara wouldn't hear of it. They love the twins and spoil them rotten at every opportunity, and the twins call them aunt and uncle." She tilted her head to the side and studied Batman's profile. "How do you know Nick?"

"What makes you think I know Nick King?"

"You knew his name without asking me, and he called you Brucey-boy, and you called him because you said that my bracelet had to be his handiwork."

Batman shook his head. He'd forgotten that Shayera was also a detective. "Nick and I grew up in the same social circles and went to the same boarding schools. His parents were friends with mine before they died, and after the death of my parents, Nicks parents used to let me spend weekends with them. Nick always excelled at swimming and loved to tinker with electronics. The minute I saw what your bracelet could do, I knew that Nick had to have had a hand in inventing it. It's just something he would do, just to see if he could."

"He could." Shayera said, smiling down at her bracelet. John ran his fingers over it, and Shayera smiled at him.

"Coming up on the ship." J'onn's voice said.

"Activating cloaking." Batman responded, instantly. Shayera held her breath as they neared the ship. When they weren't attacked, she sighed as J'onn carefully and silently attached the Javelin to the side of the ship with magnets.

"You'll have to use your ring to get us in John." Batman said.

"Not a problem." John said, his voice even and cold. "That bastard has my children. Wild horses couldn't keep me out of there."

"He has our children." Shayera, or rather Hawkgirl, said. John looked over and saw that she had pulled on her mask and was holding her mace, a little awkwardly with her injured wrist. But the look in Hawkgirl's eyes let John know that she would not stand by while her children were in danger.

John nodded and activated his ring brightly, allowing his costume to flow over his body, covering the jeans and tee shirt he had been wearing. When the light faded, the Green Lantern nodded at his winged lover. Hawkgirl nodded back.

"Ready?" Batman asked.

"Ready." The other three replied.

"Lets go. I've contacted the rest of the League. They'll be here shortly."

J'onn floated out of the Javelin, while the Green Lantern carefully used his ring to float everyone else out of the Javelin and up against the side of the ship. Hawkgirl climbed onto his back, and J'onn held Batman while the Green Lantern deactivated his bubble, and then used his ring to cut a hole in the side of the ship. Once they were in, he used his ring to seal up the hole. The four had just started to travel down the hall when they all heard a young girl's voice.

"Let go! Let me _go_, you sick twisted _creep_!"

"Haylynn!" Shayera screamed out, running down the hall before anyone could stop her.

"Shayera!" Green Lantern yelled out, running after her.


	12. Reunion and Lose

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Let go! Let me _go_, you sick twisted _creep_!" Haylynn yelled, twisted her body back and forth as she tried to break the man's grip. "Let go of me now!" The large Thanagarian who was gripping her shoulders and holding her above the ground wasn't the same man who had taken Haylynn and her brother, but he was just as big and his wings were the same. He also didn't look at Haylynn as she screamed and thrashed, trying to break his grip. She had been trying to sleep when he and her kidnapper had entered the room. The kidnapper had ordered the man with him to grab Haylynn, and he would go get her brother. Haylynn had tried to avoid the man, but he was simply to big and strong for her. He also didn't seem to feel the blows she landed on him, or her wings beating furiously in his face.

"Haylynn!" A familiar voice yelled, and Haylynn looked up in shock.

"_MAMA!" _Haylynn screamed, fighting the man even harder.

"Let my daughter _GO!_" Hawkgirl screamed, swinging her mace full force at the man's stomach. He made no move to block it, and the blow knocked him off his feet. His grip on Haylynn didn't loosen as he flew through the air, but when he hit the wall, Haylynn was able to rip herself free and throw herself at her mother.

"Mama!"

"Haylynn!" Hawkgirl snatched her baby girl out of the air and hugged her tightly. "Oh Haylynn, are you all right?"

"They separated me from Hayden Mama." Haylynn whispered, her eyes tearing up as she wrapped her arms and legs around her mother and buried her face in his mother's neck.

"Is she all right?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Haylynn lifted her face and stared at the people accompanying her mother. The man who had spoken was so familiar that Haylynn's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"I know you! Your part of the Justice League! Your Batman!" She said excitedly.

"Yes I am." He replied solemnly, extending one black clad hand.

"I'm Haylynn. Haylynn Lee Stewart." Haylynn said politely, shaking his hand. She shifted her gaze to the green Martian standing behind Batman. "I know you too! Your also part of the Justice League! You're the Martian Manhunter."

"That is me small one." J'onn responded with a tiny smile. Green Lantern, having finished checking behind them, came around the corner. Haylynn's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. With a leap, she had wretched herself out of Hawkgirl's arms and was flying as fast as her wings could carry her straight into the Green Lanterns surprised arms.

"Daddy!" Haylynn screamed, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Holding her small warm body close, John suddenly realized what he had been missing out on, her sweet tiny arms around his neck, her cheek pressed against his, her warm little body pressed tight against his chest.

"Haylynn, how did you know he's your daddy?" Hawkgirl asked quietly.

"I saw him in my dreams." Haylynn responded, her voice muffled by the fact that her face was pressed tightly into the Green Lanterns shoulder.

"Your right." Green Lantern finally found his voice. "I am your daddy."

Haylynn finally lifted her head and smiled at him. In shock, John suddenly found himself staring at another, smaller Shayera, except the small girl in his arms had his hair. The pictures Shayera had showed him didn't do Haylynn justice, he decided. She was so beautiful it made his heart ache. Her small hand reached up and touched his beard. "I don't like this daddy. You'll have to get rid of it." The Green Lantern burst out laughing at the matching looks on his daughter and her mothers faces.

"Told you." Hawkgirl responded smugly.

"You don't like it either Mama?"

"No baby, I don't." She crossed to the Green Lantern and looked their daughter in the eye. "Honey, where's your brother?"

Haylynn wrinkled her nose, and the Green Lantern recognized one of his facial expressions with surprise. "I'm not sure." She told her mother. "The creepiod with the really weird wings separated us."

'_Haylynn, stop chatting and come get me out of HERE!' _Hayden suddenly screamed in Haylynn's mind. Haylynn winced at the volume, then laughed. Hawkgirl laughed also, recognizing the signs of her children's telepathy.

"I take it Hayden is not happy?" She asked her daughter. Haylynn laughed again and left the Green Lanterns arms to snuggle into Hawkgirl's.

"Nope." She said with a grin. "He said, and I quote 'stop chatting and come get me out of here'."

"Well, shall we go get him?" The Green Lantern asked, coming up behind Hawkgirl and grinning over her shoulder at their daughter.

"Yeah." Haylynn giggled, reaching up for him. The Green Lantern smiled as he gathered up Haylynn against his chest, and Hawkgirl couldn't keep the smile off her face as she watched them. It seemed that Haylynn already had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

They traveled cautiously down the hall, everyone watching everyone else's back, Haylynn clinging to her daddy's neck tightly.

"Put me down!" Hayden's voice suddenly yelled. "OW! Stop it! That hurts!"

"Hayden!" Haylynn left the Green Lanterns arms and took to the air, flying down the hallway. "Leave him alone!"

"Haylynn! Wait!" The Green Lantern and Hawkgirl both yelled at the same time, running after their daughter. And stopped dead when they saw the sight that awaited them. Hawkgirl's face went white, and the Green Lantern thought he was going to be sick.

A huge Thanagarian stood before them. Haylynn was laying on the floor in front of him, his foot planted firmly in the middle of her back. Even as they watched, Haylynn struggled, but the man pressed down harder, causing Haylynn to cry out in pain. He was also holding a small winged boy in front of him, and a pistol that the Green Lantern recognized as capable of firing a deadly laser was pointed at the boys head. The Green Lantern knew instantly that the boy was Hayden. He looked just like him, with bright green eyes and jet black hair, a lock of which was currently falling into the boys eyes. The Thanagarian that held him was tall, much taller than Hawkgirl, but about the Green Lantern's height. He had light skin with green eyes and shoulder length light brown hair. And his wings were light blue, with white line running through them and huge, just like the feather they had found.

"Graykon!" Hawkgirl yelled. "Leave my children alone!"

"Beautiful Shayera." Graykon sneered, tightening his grip on Hayden. Hayden sucked in a painful breath, but didn't move or say anything, his green eyes wide and panicked. "You know I can't do that. These two filthy half-breeds have to die so that I may come into my rightful place of power."

"Let them go." The Green Lantern snarled, stepping forward.

"Who the hell are you?!" Graykon asked. Hayden's eyes went wide and he let out a squeak of surprise.

"DADDY?!" Hayden chocked out. Graykon snarled and tightened his arm around Hayden so that Hayden was having trouble drawing in breath. His face turned red.

"He is not your father!" Graykon raged. "I am your father!"

"No Graykon!" Hawkgirl burst in, stepping forward to stand next to the Green Lantern. "Your not their father Graykon! Their four years old, you can't possibly be their father! John is their father!"

"No! I'm their father!" Graykon yelled back, his eyes wide and crazy.

"I'm their father." the Green Lantern said, in a cold, calm voice. "Give them to me Graykon. Let them go. Their just children. Let them go. Let them come home."

Graykon smiled wickedly at the Green Lantern. "You don't understand. That's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to kill them so that I can go home and claim the power that is rightfully mine!" With that, he pressed the barrel of the gun tighter against Hayden's skull, making the boy whimper in fear, and his finger started to tighten on the trigger.

"_No! Don't!"_ John yelled, leaping forward. He was to far away, he knew that, Hayden and Haylynn knew it and Graykon knew it. But he had to try. He wasn't going to just stand there and let this manic take away his children once again.

Desperate to help her father and her twin, Haylynn put her hands on the floor and surged up with all of her strength. Graykon stumbled backwards, his pistol firing into the ceiling. Graykon slipped and fell flat on his back, his hold on Hayden loosening. With a powerful beat of his wings, Hayden freed himself and flew at the Green Lantern.

"Daddy?" He questioned, stopping just short of the Green Lantern and hovering just in front of him. The Green Lantern smiled at him, and Haylynn almost knocked her father over by running right at his leg and grabbing on.

"It's Daddy Hayden!" She laughed, smiling up at the Green Lantern. He smiled and picked her up. "It's really him!"

"Daddy!" Hayden yelled, throwing himself into his arms. John hugged both of them to him tightly.

"Hayden, Haylynn." He whispered, holding them close.

"_NO!" _Graykon screeched, stumbling to his feet. "Their mine! They have to die!" He pointed his pistol right at Haylynn's chest as she sat in her Daddy's arms.

"_NO!" _the Green Lantern yelled, dropping his children to the ground and surrounding them with a protective green bubble. But before he could expand it to include himself and Hawkgirl, Graykon fired.

"_NO! DADDY!" _Haylynn screamed as her father flew backwards, hit one of the metal walls of the ship and then slid to the floor, not moving.

"_JOHN!" _Shayera cried, running to him.

"_DADDY!" _Both twins yelled, also running to him. Shayera touched John's face, but his eyes didn't open. She looked up at a smirking Graykon, fury in her eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw Graykon raising the pistol to try again.

"_BASTARD!" _Shayera screamed, throwing herself, and her mace, at Graykon before Batman or J'onn could stop her. She swung at his chest, but Graykon, fueled by rage and religious fervor, miscalculated and tried to duck under the blow. Shayera's mace hit Graykon right in the face, slicing through thin skin and bone, caving in the skull. The body flew through the air, seeming to hang there for a single moment, then fell to the floor with a horrible crash. It bounced twice, then lay still, all life gone from it.

Shayera stood stunned for a moment, unable to believe that she had taken a life after all these years of trying to protect it. Batman came up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault Hawkgirl. You were protecting your family, the ones you love." He whispered. Shayera turned to look at him, her eyes still wide in her white face. The only emotion on her face was surprise, and Batman was worried she had gone into shock.

"Hawkgirl?" He questioned, putting both hands on Shayera's shoulders and shacking her gently. She still didn't react, or even blink, just stared at him blankly. "Shayera?" He tried, shaking her a little harder.

"Shayera." John whispered, his eyes slowly and painfully opening.

"Daddy!" Haylynn yelled happily, yet refrained from throwing herself into his arms like she wanted to. Through her and Hayden were only four, and had never seen anyone hurt this bad before, they knew their daddy was seriously injured. They could _sense_ it.

"Mama!" Hayden yelled, rushing to his mother. "Daddy's awake, and he wants you!"

The sound of her son's voice snapped Shayera out of her temporary shock, and she ran to meet her son halfway. Scooping up her son, she ran to John's side, falling to her knees next to him.

"Shayera." He sighed, reaching up for her mask, but he was to weak and he couldn't complete the gesture. Shayera understood through and reached up to remove her mask, removing her ponytail holder and shaking out her hair while she was at it. She picked up John's hand and held it under her chin.

"Are you all right?" She whispered, knowing that no matter what John said it would be a lie. John wouldn't admit it if he was dying. _'Stop that!' _Shayera scolded herself.

"I'm fine." John wheezed, winking at her.

"Liar." Shayera whispered, trying to blink away her tears. John released her hand and reached up wipe them away.

"Hey, stop that." He ordered. But the order lacked any force behind it.

"Daddy." Haylynn sobbed. John shifted so he could see her too.

"My two girls." He whispered. "My beautiful girls." He smiled and reached out to Hayden, who was squatting next to Haylynn. "And my handsome son." He smiled, but everyone could see the pain behind it. "I am so proud of you. So proud to be your father."

"Stop talking like that Daddy." Hayden said, fighting a losing battle with tears.

"Hayden, watch out for your sister and your mother." John whispered, ignoring his son.

"Stop that." Shayera ordered. "Your going to be fine. And besides, you know you're the only one who can tell me anything."

"Don't I know it." John whispered. He looked at his children again.

"Your beautiful. All three of you are beautiful angels. My angels." John touched Haylynn's cheek, then Hayden's hair, and his other hand squeezed Shayera's tightly. Then his eyes closed and he went limp.

"Daddy?!" Haylynn sobbed, shaking his shoulder. When John didn't respond, Haylynn threw herself across his chest, wailing. _"No! Daddy! DADDY!" _


	13. Epilogue: Three Years Later

EPILOGUE

THREE YEARS LATER. . .

"Happy birthday dear Hayden and Haylynn, happy birthday to you!" The smiling seven year old twins both took a deep breath and blew out all the candles on their cake. The Watchtower shook with cheers as the entire Justice League, old and new, clapped and cheered the twins. Both twins were desperately trying to ignore the fact that their daddy wasn't there. Just one more birthday he had missed.

"Hey, how come Hayden's name was first?" Haylynn mocked whined, nudging her twin with her shoulder and grinning at him. Hayden laughed, sat back and crossed his arms.

"Well, I _am _the oldest." He pointed out. "Runt."

"Don't call me runt!"

"Why not? You're the younger twin!"

"By half and hour _Hayden John_!"

"Half and hour is half an hour _Haylynn Lee_."

"Stop it you two." Shayera said with a laugh, sitting down between them and putting an arm around her daughters shoulders, mostly to hold her back. It wouldn't do for her to give Hayden a black eye on their birthday.

"Haylynn, Hayden _is_ the older twin by half an hour. Hayden, don't call your sister a runt. Haylynn, Hayden's name came first in the song, but I made sure that your name was first on the cake. Hayden, not a word."

"Yes mama." The two chorused, grinning, while the rest of the Justice League laughed.

"Now, cake time!" The Flash yelled, yelping when Piper smacked his arm.

"You're a dork Uncle Wally!" A young voice said, and Haylynn looked up.

"Thomas!" She yelled, flying into the arms of the slightly taller six year old who had just arrived with his father.

"Hi Haylynn!" Thomas said with a laugh as the over excited seven year old literally bowled him over and they both rolled across the floor.

"Should we be worried?" Diana whispered to Shayera as she took Haylynn's seat, holding the newest addition to the Wayne family, three year old Mackenzie Caroline Wayne, more affectionately known as M.C.

"Maybe when their older." Shayera whispered back, then laughing out loud as the smaller and lighter Haylynn pinned the younger but taller and heavier Thomas on his back.

"You missed seeing me blow out the candles." Haylynn told the boy, crossing her arms and sticking her bottom lip out.

"Sorry." Thomas said with a shrug. "My dad took forever." Thomas had turned out to be just as precocious as Hayden and Haylynn were, and were causing his parents the same amount of headaches.

Haylynn uncrossed her arms with a laugh and rolled off of the boy and offered a hand to help him to his feet. Thomas took it with his usual good humor and let Haylynn pull him up. Once he was on his feet, the impulsive Haylynn gave him a quick hug before scrambling back to her mother and climbing up between her and Hayden.

"Hi baby. Finished beating up Thomas?" Shayera teased. Haylynn laughed.

"Mama, I wouldn't beat up Thomas, he's my best friend! Besides Hayden that is." She added quickly. Hayden laughed.

"Glad to see how I rate." Hayden teased his sister. She punched his shoulder, then smiled innocently up at her mother, who laughed.

"All right you two. Are you ready for presents yet?"

"Not really." Haylynn whispered, lowering her eyes. "I wish Daddy was here."

"Oh, sweetie." Shayera said, hugging her daughter close. "I wish he was here too."

"And who said I would miss this?" A new voice boomed from the doorway.

"DADDY!" Both twins yelled, throwing themselves, wings and all into his arms. John used his ring to save the two packages in his arms as his children tackled him and set them down gently as he laughed and twirled the twins around.

"Hey guys! Did you miss me?"

"Yes! Of course!" Both said, hugging him tightly. John laughed and set them down, handing them each a present.

"Well, then get over there and open your presents." John told them, turning them around and giving each of them a playful swat.

"Yes Daddy!" They both laughed, running over to where the rest of their presents were waiting. John stayed in a crouch watching them for a few seconds before straightening up and making his way over to where Shayera was sitting with Diana, who had M.C. sitting on her lap.

"Hey you." He said. Diana and Shayera both smiled at him, and Diana stood up to let John sit down. As she passed, John reached out and touched M.C.'s soft hair. "Hey there Kenzie."

"Hi Uncle John." M.C. said shyly, before burying her face in her mothers neck. Diana smiled at him also.

"Hello John."

"Hey Diana." John responded, giving her a smile before passing her to sit on the couch next to Shayera.

"When did you get back?" She asked with a grin. John sat down and simply grinned at her.

"About five minutes ago. What did you do to yourself?" He asked, motioning to the bandage on her cheek and the arm strapped to her chest. "I leave to go undercover for a few weeks and you try to get yourself killed? Are you mentally unstable or something?"

"You wanna cut the wisecracks and come say hello properly?"

"Love to." John whispered.

Ignoring the party guest, most of whom were watching the twins open their presents anyway, John pulled his lover and the mother of his children into his lap and proceeded to kiss her. John's arms came up and wrapped around her waist as she kissed him gently, then pulled back and rested her forehead on his.

"I missed you." Shayera whispered.

"I missed you too. But the Watchtower seems a little more crowded then it was when I left. My room still free?" John cracked.

"It is if your still interested in sharing my bed." Shayera said with a laugh, tossing her red hair over her shoulder, her green eyes snapping with amusement. She took John's face in her hands and kissed his upturned, smiling mouth.

"Trust me, I'm still very interested." John whispered once they parted again.

Shayera laughed and moved deftly out of John's lap. "Later Marine. Right now, watch our children open their presents." John laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they both watched the twins.

It wasn't until later, as John and Shayera were snuggled into their shared bed in the Watchtower that John pulled Shayera close and kissed her ear.

"What's up?" She asked, smiling at the surprise in his eyes. John always kissed her ear before telling her something.

"Marry me." John whispered, his eyes locked on hers. Shayera froze for just a moment before letting a huge grin cross her face.

"Really?"

"Really Shy. Marry me."

"Yes." Shayera said, hugging him tightly. John touched her chin and pulled her face towards him, kissing her gently and sweetly, yet passionately at the same time. Shayera pulled back first and grinned at him.

John looked at her, and but Shayera's eyes shown with joy.

"What's up?" He also asked, repeating her words. Shayera reached for his hand, then covered it with her and rested both of them on her stomach. John stared for a moment, uncomprehending, then it suddenly dawned on him.

"You mean you. . . I. . . we're. . ." John stuttered. Shayera laughed and pulled John close, resting her head on his forehead.

"You remember that night before you left, when we had your good luck party?" Shayera asked. John nodded and grinned also.

"How could I forget?"

"Well we forgot one thing that night." She whispered, smiling at the joy in John's eyes, the joy that echoed her own. "I'm pregnant John. We're going to be parents again." She said, her voice raised slightly in excitement.

John whooped and pulled Shayera in for a kiss. After a second, he pulled back and looked at her.

"What?"

"How are we going to tell the twins?" He asked. Before Shayera could answer, both heros heard a yelp in the hallway, followed by muffled laughter and the unmistakable sounds of two pairs of wings traveling away from their room and towards the twins.

"Somehow, I think they already know." Shayera said with a laugh. John laughed also before pulling his girlfriend, no, his fiancé, in for another kiss.

THE END

AN: There it's finally finished. Come on, you didn't really think I killed John, did you? If you did, that just means I wanted you too. Anyway, I'm thinking of making this into a sereis, with the next one maybe having the twins along with Thomas, Mackenzie, Andrea and maybe even the Flashes kids messing around in Batman's lab and getting thrown through demensions to the Justice Lords! Or not. What do you think?

Anyway, thanks so much for reading my story. Love you guys!

Alexz


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